BEIJING, Sept 18 Asia Pulse - China's output of early rice is estimated to be 29.44 million tons this year, 2.8 per cent less than in 2002.Early rice output in 2003 decreased 440,000 tons in the province of Zhejiang; 146,000 tons in Guangdong; 100,000 tons in Anhui; 97,000 tons in Guangxi; 66,000 tons in Hunan, and 19,000 tons in Fujian. Increases were posted only by Hubei Province, up 27,000 tons, and Hainan Province, up 7,000 tons.
A decrease of sowing area is the main reason leading to the decrease of early rice output. China sowed 5.577 million hectares of land for early rice this year, 296,000 hectares or 5 per cent less than in 2002.
Sowing area decreased by 86,000 hectares in Zhejiang; 51,000 hectares in Hunan; 42,000 hectares in Fujian; 31,000 tons in Guangdong; 27,000 hectares in Jiangxi; 16,000 hectares in Anhui; 14,000 hectares in Hubei; and 12,000 hectares in Guangxi.
Yield of early rice was 5,278 kg per hectare in 2003, up 2.3 per cent over the figure for 2002.